Harry and The Marauders
by HPandTHGfan
Summary: After the end of the second wizarding war Harry misses his parents with all his heart. So after another strange incident with Dumbledore Harry gets to spend two weeks over the Christmas holidays with his parents, Remus and Sirius.
1. Dumbledore

**A/N This is my first attempt at a full length fanfiction. i want to look at how Harry will interact with his parents and the marauders but I didn't want Peter there for obvious reasons. I'm not sure if I'm going to look at how this alters the course of time or not. Please read and review if you like it, it will make me keep going with it, thank you for taking the time to read it.**

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Harry's conversation with Dumbledore at Kings Cross wasn't the last Harry had with the Professor. One night, 3 days after the defeat of Voldemort, Harry was laying on his bed in his old dormitory in Gryffindor tower thinking back over the past 7 years and how much had changed. Since finding out about and entering the wizarding world Harry's life had been completely consumed by Voldemort. He hadn't made it through one year without the dark wizard trying to kill him. As he reflected he realised just how much he had missed out on, he couldn't even remember his parents faces, or playing with them. They were never able to see how much he had achieved. A single tear slid down his face and he closed his eyes.

* * *

He found himself stood in a meadow, with green grass stretching endlessly in all directions. Harry wandered for a few minutes for sitting down on the ground and he began absentmindedly playing with a daisy. It was so peaceful here; it was easy to forget all the pain and grief that was currently encompassing his world outside of the dream.

He could feel someone watching him from behind and instinctively reached for his wand, the terrors of the previous year had made him constantly on high alert. But as he turned he lowered his wand, for in front of him stood the very man the he knew would have all the answers that he was looking for. The long white beard and half-moon spectacles were unmistakable, there stood Albus Dumbledore.

Before Harry realised what he was doing he had stood up and launched himself into a hug with the Professor. Dumbledore stumbled a little and let out a quiet laugh and reciprocated the hug. After a few seconds Harry let go and blushed at his sudden outburst.

'Sorry Professor' he mumbled to his shoes.

'Why Harry, I should expect nothing less after what you've just been through' He chuckled, 'Now is there anything on your mind you wanted to talk about?'

'Well Professor, there is one thing…' He trailed off, knowing that the one thing he wanted was the one thing that he could never get.

Dumbledore let out another quiet, knowing chuckle 'You miss your parents'

Harry smiled thankfully at his mentor, 'They never got to know me, and I never got to know them, and I know it's selfish to think this was after all that's happened to other people recently, but I cannot help but just want to speak to them, to tell them everything, to see what they were like. I've lost everyone who ever knew them well, first Sirius, now Lupin-' his voice broke off at this point and he fell to the ground as the grief and guilt once again surrounded him.

'But my boy,' Dumbledore said 'I think I can arrange something for you, take these,' he said passing him two envelopes and a time turner looking device, 'turn the time turner once and it will take you back to your parents 7th year at Hogwarts, make sure you are holding on to everything you wish to take with you. Then when you get there take this first envelope to my past self, the password to my office is peppermint, and give to second envelope to your parents, it explains some of the details so they are unlikely to go mad with confusion. And finally Harry, you will have two weeks there with them, over Christmas, so use it wisely, and enjoy' He smiled at Harry who looked shocked, then utterly blissful, then his smile faltered.

'What about Wormtail…?' the pain and worry in his voice

'He will be going home for Christmas, the only people who stayed in Gryffindor tower that year way your parents, Sirius and Lupin' Dumbledore explained, 'Now with that I shall leave you to enjoy the precious time with your parents' he turned and began to walk away

Harry quickly caught up with him, 'Thank you Professor, for everything' and with that he left the Great Wizard walk away, fading slowly as he did.

Harry lay down on the grass, stroking the soft leaves with his hand, a small smile on his lips hid how much joy he truly felt bubbling up inside him. He closed his eyes to the thought of spending two whole weeks with his parents, the gifts from Dumbledore held firmly in his grasp.


	2. Leaving

**A/N I may have changed a few bits that I'm not 100% sure if they are canon or not but I'm trying to stay as close to cannon as one can in a story like this.**

* * *

Harry's eyes fluttered open and his head ached and he felt stiff, he must have slept very deeply. And what a dream it was, Dumbledore dreams always made him feel ready to face the day. He sat up from where he sat and stretched, trying to loosen his stiff muscles. And that was when he noticed, noticed the envelopes and time turner that he was still clutching in his hands. His eyes widened and his hand gripped them even tighter. A giant grin spread across his lips, it may very well of been a dream, but it was going to happen, he was going to see them, all of them. It took a lot of self-control, more than Harry knew he had in him, not to turn the time turner right then and there. He wanted to make the best of his time with them; he also didn't want to worry his friends whilst he was gone. Imagine that, three days after the end of the war and the hero of the hour goes missing.

He cringed inwardly at the word 'Hero', that's all people had been calling him since Voldemorts downfall and he hated it, as far as he saw it he hadn't done anything special, nothing that any others wouldn't have done. In truth he thought that everyone except him was worthy of that title, he had nothing to lose, he had no family anymore, everyone else had people depending on them, counting on them.

He set to work, finding things that he wanted to take with him when he met his parents. He grabbed a bag and threw in the cloak and the map, they always came in handy. He thought, what about his life did he want to tell his parents about? Everything was the honest answer. He needed to be more specific, he didn't need anything from the first 11 years of his lift, simply telling them that would be hard enough and it wasn't as if he even had anything from then.

It was all going to be from his time at Hogwarts, and what made Hogwarts so special? His eyes widened, his friends, they were his family, his new family. He gathered as many pictures of them as he could, and mused that over the past year his dormitory had been left pretty much untouched. He had the picture of the Weasley's from when they went to Egypt, a picture of him and Ron in their Quidditch uniforms, him Ron and Hermione laughing and smiling at Christmas, them with Neville and Luna at Bill and Fleurs wedding. Him and Ginny, with them both smiling and her giggling as he kissed her cheek, this was one of his favourites. These were just a few of the many photos he had, packed, including his most prized one, the one of his parents that he had been given by Hagrid in his first year.

What else, he mussed? He thought of something, the limited edition chocolate frog cards they had released of him and his parents. He made sure he had four of each; he wanted to be able to give them something to physically remember him by. Then he found his latest copy of Quidditch weekly in his bag, his Dad would enjoy reading that. And the golden snitch that had had the stone hidden inside, he pushed his lips against the cold metal and the same words appeared, a small smile crept across his lips again, that was the last time his parents spoke to him, this time he would be able to touch them, hug them, that's all he had ever wanted.

Harry wanted to write them each a letter, telling them a few things, so they could look back at it once he was gone. He found a quill, ink and parchment and sat down to write the four hardest letters ever written. He started with Lupin, there was an easier starting place there.

_Dear Remus Lupin,_

_You were the first person I met who knew what my parents were really like. You came to Hogwarts in my third year and became my DADA professor. You taught me how to produce a patronus, you helped me overcome the death eaters, you taught me that chocolate is the cure for everything. I know about your furry little problem and I have never thought anything less of you because of it, in fact it makes you even more amazing. There are a few bits about your future you should know, you get married, and to someone who doesn't care about the lycanthropy, she spent years chasing you, trying to make you believe that she loved you. And you have a son, who is the most amazing little boy in the world and is my godson. Remember not to give up because of what you cannot control, you inspire me._

_Your faithful friend,  
Harry_

Harry slipped a photo of Remus, Tonks and Teddy into the envelope with the letter and sealed it. One down, three to go. Sirius next. Harry put his head in his hand as the image of him slipping through the veil passed through his head and the familiar pang of guilt overtook him. He shook his head and released himself from the trance-like state.

_Sirius,_

_You are my godfather. You weren't around for the first 14 years of my life (which I wont goover with in a letter) but once you entered it I was changed completely, you were the only father figure I ever had and taught me that it was okay to be angry and upset for the hand that life had dealt me. I only got to know you for one short year but during that year I found myself a family. You gave your life to save mine and I will be eternally grateful. I love you._

_Your Godson,  
Harry_

Harry sealed this in an envelope and bagged that too. He still has the two hardest letters left to write and he had no idea where to start. He chewed his quill and began to write. 1 hour later and he was finally done and had the letters packed tightly in his bag, which he had had to expand to make room for all the items to show them as well as his clothes. With that he grabbed all that he needed and headed down to find Ron, Hermione and Ginny.

* * *

He found the couple first, cuddled up on the sofa in the common room, and surprisingly they looked like they had always been together. They didn't notice him at first as Ron looked like he had only just stopped crying. He drew closer and Hermione gave a squeal, jumped up and gave him a hug before noticing his bag, she raised a quizzical eyebrow.

'Where do you think you're going?' she asked in a voice a couple of octaves higher than usual.

How could he even begin to explain this, she would think it was a bad idea and would try and stop him leaving, he didn't want to lie to either of his best friends either. He decided he simply wouldn't tell them anything they didn't need to know before he got back.

'I need to get away for a while' Hermiones look told him he clearly wasn't off the hook yet. 'Everything that's happened in the past 7 years, it's completely consumed me and now it is over I have no idea who I am any more, I need to go find that out' he explained. Hermione still didn't look convinced but she nodded. Harry turned to Ron who hadn't said anything yet.

'I want to come with you' Ron finally spoke.  
harry felt horrible that he couldn't take them with him, 'This is one thing I have to do on my own mate. But I promise I will tell you everything as soon as I get back' he explained  
'How long?' Ron mumbled, clearly just as unconvinced as Hermione but letting it go.

'Two weeks and I'll be back'  
'Alright mate, you better bring us some pretty awesome gifts' he laughed, getting back a bit of that typical Ron-ness.  
'I want you two to see me off, I'm going to find Ginny before I leave, meet me in the great hall in 1 hour' as he finished he left the common room.

He look out the Marauders map and searched it for Ginny, he found her in the corridor outside the prefects bathroom. Stuffing it back in his bag he hurried of to her, and was there in a few minutes. He could see her from the other end of the corridor and couldn't help but run towards her. 'Ginny!' he called as he neared her. Her head shot up and she looked straight into his eyes, stood up and ran the last few meters, straight into his arms and they embraced. He kissed the top of her head and she looked up at him and kissed him, with all the emotions of the past week pouring out in that one kiss. Eventually the pulled apart and he explained to her the same as he explain to Ron and Hermione. She burst into tears but also understood why he needed to go.

50 minutes later and walked hand in hand into the great hall and saw Ron and Hermione stood there, waiting. Ginny joined them, and with a kiss atop of her head he stood back said goodbye and turned the time turner once.


	3. Revealed

**A/N This chapter was a nice one to write, I wasn't sure how I was going write the reveal until it suddenly came to me so I hope you enjoy it.**

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Harry opened his eyes and found himself stood in exactly the same place as he had been a second before. He was stood in the great hall, but instead of it looking as if it was on the verge of collapsing in on itself, it was ready for Christmas, and the large tree stood in its usual position and was adorned with hundreds of glass baubles. The rest of the hall was covered in holly and mistletoe and read streamers, it felt like home, it felt right. The doors to the hall were closed thankfully, which meant no-one had seen him appear. He slipped on the invisibility cloak and made his way out of the hall.

He had a quick intake of breath as he saw all the students; they looked like any other Hogwarts students, except they had the weirdest hairstyles. He laughed lightly, and then did something he never expected; he put his head down and tried to look as little as possible. He didn't want to see any of the people he was here to see before he had seen Dumbledore, he knew that if he did he would have a hard time stopping himself running over to them and that could be disastrous. Slowly he made his way through the crowd, which he realised was full of students with trunks and heading home for Christmas. He smiled, knowing soon the castle would be quite, a nice time of year for this sort of thing.

After much effort and slow progress Harry made it to the entrance to Dumbledore's office. 'Peppermint' he said as the stairs began to unwind. Halfway up he took his cloak off and tucked it away in his bag. It felt like an eternity going up those stairs but in reality it was less than a minute, every second dragged on as he became more and more nervous. He entered the office and was confronted with s strange sight, a confused Dumbledore. 'Who are you? You aren't a student. How did you get here?' As a way to answer all these questions Harry said nothing and instead handed him the letter that Dumbledore had instructed him to. Thinking about all these Dumbledore's made Harrys head hurt a little.

After an awkward couple of minutes stood in silence as Dumbledore read the letter he turned to Harry and smiled. With that smile Harry released all the breath that he didn't even notice he was holding. 'Well Harry,' Dumbledore at last spoke, 'It looks as if out Gryffindor students have a lovely surprise for Christmas. Do you have the letter for them?' Harry nodded and passed it to him. 'Very well here is what we will do…'

* * *

20 minutes later Harry was hidden under the cloak at the back of the classroom and the four students entered, giving Harry the first look at his parents. Sirius entered first, he looked a little confused but not worried at the fact he had been called into the heads office. His hair looked very similar to how Harry knew it, it was just missing the tints of grey that come with age. Remus was much the same, and he had fewer scars, less transformation Harry thought. Next came his mother, Lily, she looked on the verge of tears, clearly terrified of why she had been called in. She had bright red that fell in long curls, and those eyes were as piercing and beautiful as he had been told. My eyes, he thought. Finally came James, he had a comforting hand on Lily's shoulder. He looked pretty confident and had clearly spent a lot of time in the office. It was like looking in a mirror for Harry, they had the same build, the same puffy hair, he even had glasses, except his were rectangular compared with Harrys round ones.

They took seats in front of Dumbledore's desk and all fiddled nervously with their hands. 'So I suppose you are wondering why you are here' he began. They all nodded and Lily let out a little whimper. 'you don't need to worry, you aren't in any kind of trouble, I have some news I wish to share with you' They all looked relieved, then confused, all wondering what on earth could Dumbledore want to share with them. 'Rather than explaining myself,' He continued 'I have a letter for you to read together, any questions you may have will be answered once you've finished' He promptly handed then the letter. Remus took it, hands trembling as he did so. 'I'll read it out loud' he said to them. They all nodded. Harry went tense and then began to shake as they read it out loud. He almost fell over twice; adrenaline was the only thing keeping him upright at the moment. He looked at their faces as they heard, but mainly James and Lily's. Lily started crying almost immediately, James comforted her and began crying soon after. Sirius face was covered in shock. And Remus was struggling to keep his voice level, a quiver sneaking in occasionally. Eventually they finished and silence filled the office. Dumbledore stood up once again 'Now I expect you all have lots of questions and I promise you they will be answered' he paused and Harry took a few steps closer, still wearing the cloak. 'I have someone I would like to introduce you to' the four looked at eachother with the same confusion on all of their faces. 'This is yours son, Harry' Dumbledore said quickly and Harry took his cue to remove the cloak.

Lily was the first on her feet, sobbing as she ran at her son, the son she never knew she had, and threw her arms around him in a tight embrace. James was a fraction of a second later and pulled them all together. The tears were flowing freely now and there was no stopping them. Sirius and Remus stood there for a few minutes, in complete shock, giving the family a moment together before they ran over and joined in. Slowly they broke apart; James and Lily still had their arms protectively around Harrys shoulder. 'Mum, Dad' was all Harry managed to say before busting into a fresh flood of tears.

During all of this Dumbledore had stood there and observed. He was moved by this, how protective Lily and James were of a son they had, but hadn't yet been born. His eyes were moist and he smiled.


	4. Emotions

**A/N Sorry this has taken me a while to upload, I wrote this chapter not long after the first few but it really wasn't right. The other day I was hit with a sudden burst of inspiration so voilà!**

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Harry felt emotions surge through him like a tidal wave. First nerves, the then elation, then sadness at knowing what would eventually befall them, then it settled into pure joy. Joy at the fact that he was finally touching his parents, finally able to hear them say his name, finally able to tell them everything that he had ever wanted. He felt them envelope him in a tight hug and the tears fell freely, tears of sadness on what they had missed out on, and tears of joy that he was finally able to tell them. As Sirius and Remus joined them the tears fell with renewed vigour, he experienced the grief all over again. The wound from the death of Remus was all too fresh, only a few days old.

* * *

Lily's heart broke as she heard the letter read aloud. It didn't go into much detail of anything really but it had told her that her and James had a son, Harry, and that when he was only a year old they had been killed at the hands of Lord Voldemort, the man that at this very moment was gathering more followers and spreading terror among the wizarding world. The letter had not told them anything of this young boys life, only that he was nearly 18. It was quite a big step to be told that you would have a child with your boyfriend of only 1 month, but surprisingly it didn't faze her. And as the boy revealed himself to her she felt her heart skip a beat, she examined him in an instant. He looked like James twin, there was no denying the resemblance there, and then she caught his eyes, her eyes, their eyes. She finally realised what James loved about them, the green was piercing and held every hue imaginable, and showed all emotions. All these thoughts flew through her brain in a fraction of second, and a fraction later she was on her feet and running, desperate to get to her child, to hold him, to feel him, her flesh and blood.

* * *

James could barely hold it together as he heard the letter read aloud. He heard his death and it didn't pain him as it should have, more the pain of Lily's demise. The news of |Harry was more heartbreaking still, he hadn't been there for his son when he needed him. Where did Harry live? What was Harry like? Was he happy? These questions and hundreds more sped through his head, making the world spin more than it already was. And as Harry revealing himself to the room he felt a love deeper than he thought imaginable surge through him, deeper than the love he held for Lily. This boy was his, he had created a life that had grown and flourished, he felt an extraordinary need to protect him. His feet didn't need telling, he was moving faster and more desperately than he had ever moved before, the desperation seeping out with every footstep closer to the boy, the boy who was his.

* * *

Sirius' mind filled with anger as heard the letter read aloud. The death of his best friend hit him hard; the news of their son hit him harder. Had he been there for Harry? Could anything have been done to avoid the downfall? He felt the need to take out his anger on something, anything, his hands clenched into tight fists, his knuckles turning whiter by the second. In the instant Harry was revealed all this anger faded into an intense desire to protect this young man, the young man that looked so much like his father. He watched as the family embraced, tears moistening his eyes and threatening to spill. And then he couldn't wait any longer, joining the family. Relief spreading through him as he saw the smile Harry gave him.

* * *

Remus struggled to keep going and he read the letter aloud. Two of the people he cared about most in the world had been killed. The wolf inside him threatened a growl but he suppressed it. And what had happened to the boy? Had he lived with him or Sirius or Peter? Something in him told him he hadn't but he couldn't explain it. And as Harry revealed himself he felt a connection, a connection that surpassed time, he couldn't put his finger on it but he knew that they knew each other well. As he embraced him he saw Harry's eyes glaze with tears, as if seeing him had ripped open a wound His heart dropped a little at that but when the smile returned with renewed enthusiasm and the embrace tightened he knew that things would be okay.


	5. Friends

**A/N Because the last chapter was so short here is a second! Two in one day, you lucky people! Anyway please review if you like it or if you have any constructive criticism, as a science student I'm not all that good at getting my thoughts on paper. Thank you for reading, I hope you enjoy!**

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After a few minutes in a tight embrace, silent apart from the occasional sob or sniff, Dumbledore suggested they retreat to the common room so Harry could answer all the questions that they undoubtedly had for him. They all agreed eagerly and left together, Lily's arm linked through Harry's and James with a hand holding his other shoulder.

Settling into the nicest seats in the common room the four eager faces couldn't keep their eyes off Harry. For once in his life he found himself silently thankful for all those years of getting stared at for being the famous 'Boy who lived'. But where did he start? He wanted them to know everything all at once, he thought through the nearly 18 years of his life and what he had achieved. After much deliberation he decided to start at the beginning, telling them what he knew of that fateful night that started it all. He took a deep breath and began.

* * *

'Let's start from the beginning' he announced 'from the night that changed everything, October 31st 1981' this was going to be hard he thought looking at Lily and James 'This was the night you died.' He said it quickly, like removing a plaster. He continued before he could see their reactions 'on this night Voldemort came to our house with the sole purpose of killing me, and nothing was going to stop him. But on that night something strange happened, something that I still don't fully understand, he couldn't do it, somehow the curse didn't hurt me and instead returned to him, killing him instead' This time he paused to take in the reactions of the room. James and Lily were still and quiet, Sirius's face was pale and Remus seemed to be waiting for him to continue, so he obliged. 'You two gave your life for mine, and because of you, Mum' he turned to face Lily 'I am the only person known to have survived to killing curse' all four mouths dropped open, he decided to leave out that he had, as of 4 days ago, survived it twice. He continued to address Lily, though his voice broke a little 'You gave your life to save mine, it was your love that stopped the curse, your love...' he trailed off, finally letting out the emotion he had held in since first year when Dumbledore first told him about the effect his mother's love had. The four were still silent and Harry became anxious, he knew he hadn't had the best life and it would be hard to hear but he had to get through it, they had to know that he was fine. 'I know it's a lot to take in but it has a happy ending, I promise you.'

James was the first to speak 'I just wish we could have been there for you'

'I know you do, but everything I did I did for you, so you didn't die in vain' this was something he never voiced aloud, though he had always known it to be true 'I wanted to make you proud'

'Oh Harry' Lily finally recovered, hugging her boy tight 'We would be proud of you no matter what'

Harry beamed, that's all he ever really wanted to hear. 'After that I was taken to live with Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon and their son Dudley' Lily's eyes widened in shock and the boys looked confused.

'She is my bitch of a sister and her Whale of a fiancé' she explained 'Why did you live with them and not Sirius or Remus or Peter?' Harry eyes narrowed at Peters name but thankfully no-one noticed, he would rather explain that one when they had all the previous facts.

'Erm,' he wasn't sure how to explain this without giving anything away 'I learnt that in my third year, so I think I'll explain then' Sirius and Remus eyes him suspiciously but both felt there had to be an explanation worth waiting for.

'Anyway,' he continued 'they didn't tell me what you were, I didn't even know how you died until my 11th birthday, before that they told me you were killed in a car crash' at this James looked positively livid, his face going red with the strain of trying to control himself.

Harry continued to explain how he found out about the wizarding world and accounted his first trip to Diagon Alley. The four listened intently, Lily making an obscene comment about her sister every now and again. They laughed at his reaction to seeing his Gringotts vault, even Harry had to smile. And the boys high fived when Harry rejected Dracos hand and they all cheered when he was sorted into Gryffindor, he enjoyed re-living those particular memories. When Harry told them about potions lesson he saw Lily's hands clench, he almost told her about how he turned in the end but decided against it, opting to just wait it out, she would understand in the end.

Harry paused when he came to the tale of his first flying lesson, he was sure his Dad would be proud. He told them of how the broom seemed to obey him, how Draco had taunted him and how he had wiped the smug look off his face when he had caught the Rememberal. Everyone grinned at that one. They laughed as he recounted thinking he was going to get expelled when he had been caught by McGonagall. 'Instead of expelling me she did something completely unexpected, she went and collected this fifth year, Oliver Wood, who turned out to be the Gryffindor Quidditch Captain and informed him that she had found him a seeker' He paused to take in the reaction, first they looked confused, then realisation spread across their faces, then, all at once, the guys jumped up loudly whooping and cheering, Harry couldn't help but join their merriment. Lily on the other hand looked a little pale.

'You could get hurt' she murmured.

'And I did on occasion, but nothing Madam Pomfrey couldn't fix' he smiled at her. She still looked a little scared but smiled widely, proud of her son.

'Quidditch is in the genes ma boy' Sirius exclaimed as he clapped him on the back.

Harry continued with the tail of his first year, everyone becoming anxious about the threat of Snape. Lily became a big fan of Hermione, this warmed Harry. Hermione was like a sister to him and it was nice to see so many parallels between his mother and his best friend. He told them of his first Christmas and how he had received the cloak, James practically jumped for joy at this, it was a family heirloom after all and since he had learnt of his son he had wondered if he had ever received this. As if to prove a point Harry pulled it out of his bag where he had placed it after the big reveal earlier. James produced his own version; it was weird to see the same cloak in the same place, one just 20 years older than the other.

When he got to the point when they started the quest he slowed, this was the first time he faced Voldemort and he knew it wasn't the last. Taking a deep breath he continued, he retold this tale with almost no interruptions. Everyone seemed to be holding their breath. He continued on, this was a memory that he wasn't a fan of, although there were lots of those so he didn't pay it that much due. He winced when he told them of the giant wizards chess match, the sound of Ron hitting the hard ground echoing through his mind. He shook his head, trying to shake the memory away. Lily, though obviously nervous about the outcome of the escapade, looked proud of the bushy hair girl when she figured out the potions puzzle. Harry came to a halt in the story, unable to figure out how to tell this part of the story; after all, he wasn't even certain of what had happened. He pressed on, telling of how it was Quirrell not Snape, how he had found the stone and how Voldemort hadn't been able to touch him. 'It was the love, you see' he explained 'when you gave your life for me you imprinted me with such a deep form of love that it physically burnt him. This was the second time that that sacrifice saved my life, however it wasn't the last' He finished the story of his first year.

'11 years old and you've already had to deal with more than most people have to in their lives' Remus said, slightly amazed.

Harry sighed 'If only that was all' he almost whispered

'WHAT!?' Lily screamed, causing the boys to flinch and cover their ears.

Harry took her hand in hers, 'Yes, it wasn't easy, and yes people did get hurt but I promise you that it worked out in the end, that I made it through' he calmed her. James smiled, he had never seen anyone able to calm Lily when she got in one of her moods. Harry pulled his mother to her feet and hugged her tightly, 'Let's take a break and go get some food' They all agreed, Sirius nodding most enthusiastically.

* * *

After lunch filled with laughter and smiles they returned to their seats in the common room to start the recount of Harry's second year, telling them of Dobby and the flying car and the crash into the Whomping Willow. At the mention of that particular tree he saw Remus flinch. Harry leaned over to James and whispered 'Does Mum know about Remus?' James' eyes widened then nodded slowly. Harry turned to Remus.

'Hey Remus, I was going to save this for later but I want you to know that I know about your 'furry little problem' and not once have I ever thought any less of you because of it. In fact I respected you more because even with that you still managed to be one of the greatest people I know.'

At the mention of his lycanthropy Remus' eyes widened in shock but as Harry continued on with his mini monologue he relaxed until finally he smiled.

'Thank you Harry' he finally breathed.

'And don't worry, I haven't given away all the secrets I know about future you' he said with a smirk.

With that all cleared up Harry continued with his tale. He told them of how he was a Parselmouth, of how people were getting petrified, how the chamber had been opened and that because of his ability to talk to snakes he was thought by the entire school to be the heir of Slytherin. This particular detail was met with horrified gasps and utter distain. He grumbled about Professor Lockheart and retold the stories of the Quidditch matches. He told how Hagrid was sent to Azkaban and flinched at the realisation that at that very same time Sirius was there too, thought by everyone to be a murderer. Finally he got to the point when he finally entered the Chamber. He retold the tale of how he killed the Basilisk, toning the tale down rather than embellishing it as some might be tempted. He told them how he has almost died but had been saved by the tears of the Headmasters phoenix.

The tale of his second year finished and he realised how late it was, he wanted to continue, to spend as long as possible with his parents but he could no longer ignore his tired eyes and finally let out the yawn he had been holding back. 'I think it's time for bed' James laughed softly 'Come on Harry, you can have my bed' Harry smiled. He gave his mother a tight hug and followed the boys up to their dormitory and James led him over to his bed. Harry stopped dead in his tracks, not able to more for a good 10 seconds. The boys looking at him very confused. 'T-that's my bed' he finally managed to get out. The boys stared at Harry, then James, then the bed, and then, all at once, the collapsed into fits of laugher. This was getting ridiculous, there were too many things for this to be a coincidence and Harry couldn't help but wonder whether Dumbledore had done this on purpose. As he lay down and closed his eyes he realised that this had probably been the most perfect day ever.


	6. Family

Lily woke early that morning, eager to see the son she only found out about yesterday. How weird her life had become, she had a son, who was the same age as her, who had travelled 20 years back in time just to meet her and James. It was weird, but yet absolutely perfect at the same time. She quickly pulled on whatever clothes she could find and headed down into the common room.

Not 5 minutes later she was joined by four handsome boys looking rested and ready for the day. Sirius asked Harry if he could tell them a little bit about his third year before breakfast. Harry point blank refused. 'This year was the best year I had a Hogwarts but it is also going to be a very difficult one to tell and for you to listen to, this is the year I finally met the rest of the Marauders, but it's not all rainbows and sunshine, not at all' The boys looked around nervously, the edge in Harry's voice was obvious.

All the way through breakfast Harry was quite, thinking of how on Earth he was going to tell this without causing a rift between them. He wanted them to know the story as he knew it, but I would not allow Sirius to be seen as a murderer and having betrayed his friends. He would not let the father figure he loved so much be victimised. He decided he was going to have to tell them before he continued the story, although he would leave the detail of Pettigrew until he reached that point in the story.

They headed back to the common room and once again settled into their spots in front of the fire; however Harry positioned himself between James and Sirius, acting a barrier in case his father tried to do anything too rash. Harry spoke 'This story is very sensitive' he paused 'And during this years I was told things about Sirius, things that I later found out to be untrue' he looked at Sirius and continued cautiously 'Sirius was put in Azkaban for 12 years for the murder of 12 muggles and a wizard.' James' fists tightened, Harry laid a calming hand on his shoulder and continued 'He escaped' gasps all round 'People believed that he betrayed you' he said looking pointedly at his parents 'but it wasn't him, he was falsely blamed. People believed that he would come after to me, to try an finish what he had started, and he did come to find me but he came to protect me.' He breathed, seeing James relax a little. Sirius looked angry, confused and some other emotion that Harry couldn't quite identify. Harry noticed this and continued on 'Sirius, you became the father figure I had so often longed for. You taught me so much about myself and about my family. Third year was the best year of my life because that was the year that I found my true family, you and Remus' with that he stopped. James looked calmer now and a grin was tugging on the corners of Sirius' mouth. 'Let's hear this story then' Lily suggested.

'Third year started rather... unusually' he started 'Aunt Marge, Uncle Vernon's whale of a sister, came to stay. When she stays she has a favourite hobby, pick on Harry, but after almost 13 years of living with the Dursley's I'm used to that past time. And then she went and did the something that I absolutely couldn't let go, she insulted Mum and Dad. I lost it at that, completely lost control and used accidental magic to make her blow up like a balloon. It really was a sight to see!' He laughed and continued to recount the tale f his summer holidays. 'I never did get my Hogsmede letter signed that year' He finished. The tension in the air at the mention of the murderer Sirius Black was palpable but Harry put a comforting hand on Sirius' arm.

Now he reached the point in the story which probably changed him in the long run, that train journey when he first met his new DADA teacher. He told them of the cold emptiness he felt when the dementor entered the carriage, and, with great difficulty, the scream he heard. Lily's face paled, not because it was her death she was hearing about, she had come to terms with that, but because her son had remembered it, she hoped that he was too small to remember anything but it turns out that he remembered the very worst of it. Harry continued, telling them of how Lupin sent the dementor away, and Remus looked sheepish at that, he had never considered himself particularly brave or ever thought of teaching. They were told of how he once again missed the sorting. Harry went quickly through the year, only recounting the odd dementor attack, until he reached the first Hogsmede weekend where he paused for a moment, a knowing smirk played across his lips.

'And then it was the first Hogsmede weekend all of us third years were buzzing, well I wasn't because I hadn't had my permission slip signed.' He looked a little crest fallen at that but continued; it did get better after all. 'As everyone buzzed around and headed down to Hogsmede, Ron and Hermione included, I stood away from the crowd and watched them slowly disperse, I was getting to head back to the common room when I was dragged away by the twins. The Weasley's by this time were like a second family to me so I wasn't worried, just expecting another one of their pranks, but what they did was quite different. They gave me a map, The Marauders map.' As he said this he looked pointedly at James, Sirius and Remus, they gasped and James clamped his hand over his mouth. Harry chuckled at their reactions whilst Lily looked confused. 'Dad, you want to show her or shall I?' he said, nodding towards his mother.  
'I will' answered James.

'After you Mr Prongs' he laughed lightly.

Both James and Harry retrieved identical looking pieces of yellowed parchment, both were blank. Harry passed her his and said 'Try getting it to reveal its secrets.' Lily muttered a spell under her breath and watched in amazement as words appeared on the parchment.

_Mr Moony would like to thank Miss Evans for gracing this parchment with so much attention._

_Mr Wormtail would like to comment on how pretty her hair is today but she still isn't going to see this for what it really is._

_Mr Padfoot would like to congratulate her on her amazing ability to stick her petite nose into the Marauders business._

_And Mr Prongs thinks that your eyes look especially beautiful when you're confused and if you would just give him a moment he would be quite happy to explain._

As she finished she looked up, still confused but with her cheeks tinted red. She looked expectantly at James who sat next to her, arm over her shoulder casually. 'Tap the page with your wand and say the words 'I solemnly swear that I'm up to no good'' she obliged and gasped in shock as the map grew on the page, she peered closer when she saw the names moving on the map then gasped. The names on the map were not of any students she knew. Harry came closer and looked too, gasping, the names weren't of people hear at the moment, they were of those he had left behind in his time. He could see Ron and Hermione together by the lake and Ginny in the kitchens with George The pain of those lost hit him once again and he had to sit down. 'The map is showing the castle back in my time' he finally managed, recovering. Lily noticed his hesitation and reached out to take his hand, lovingly rubbing the back with her thumb; her simple touch was enough to snap him back to reality.

James swapped Harry's paper for his own, already alive with the names of people milling around. They could see the five of them together in the common room. There was Dumbledore pacing in his office 'He does that a lot' commented Sirius. And a few students in the Great Hall, all sat together. Harry saw the name of Regulus Black sat alone in his Slytherin dormitory, Harry felt that all too familiar pang of guilt, thinking that Sirius never found out that his brother changed, that he saw the error of his ways, but he could change that. He would change it.

Lily continued to look shocked and amazed and James looked a little nervous, like she might explode and go off on one of her rants at any second. It didn't come; instead he got something completely unexpected, a kiss on the cheek. 'You boys are fascinating and amazing!' she gushed 'All those years I thought you were stupid and you are so clever' She beamed, pulling them into a tight embrace. 'My boys' she cooed, sounding scarily like Molly Weasley. 'Harry, shall we continue?' she asked as she let them go, the surprise on their faces evident for anyone to see.

'It turns out that they nicked it from Filches office a few years before hand, it had become invaluable in the art of pranking' he laughed.

'Boys, we left out legacy' Sirius said proudly, wiping a non-existent tear from his eye.

'They showed me the secret passageway that leads into Honeydukes cellar, I grabbed the cloak and headed down, I was not going to miss my chance to go to Hogsmede simply because Uncle Vernon is fat prat' he took a deep breath, recalling the emotions he felt during that day, he news he found out. The same emotions boiled up again, but directed towards a different man. 'Whilst I was there I overheard the teachers talking about Sirius, how he was my godfather and Dad's best friend, how he had betrayed your trust as your secret keeper' his hands clenched tight, the anger was so close to boiling point, Peter had killed his family, it was Peter who had caused it all. Part of Harry knew that wasn't true, if it wasn't Harry then it would be someone else, but right now Harry didn't care, the red mist was threatening to overcome him. And then a voice pulled him back to reality 'Harry?' Sirius asked cautiously with a hand holding his arm comfortingly. 'Sorry Sirius,' he whispered, barely audible 'I know, it's just the emotions were so strong and raw, I had never been so angry'

He pushed on through with the story, recounting the Care of Magical Creatures lesson when Draco managed to offend Buckbeak which resulted in a broken arm for Draco and a death sentence for the Hippogriff. He recounted with fondness the lessons with Remus, trying to produce a strong patronus charm, smiles tickling his lips. Then as the year grew older the story became darker until finally it reached that fateful night. He tells them of how they followed Scabbers to the Whomping Willow.

Harry took a deep breath and paused now, in the next few minutes he would deliver some devastating news. 'Now the next bit gets particularly hard to hear, but I implore you to please just try and listen whilst I tell it' they all nodded silently and Harry continued. 'We saw a large black dog drag a screaming Ron down a passageway at the bottom of the willow, assuming the worst me and Hermione followed. When we exited the tunnel we found a terrified Ron and the dog was gone, in its place stood the believed murderer Sirius Black.' Harry and Sirius winced at this 'I overcame him, filled with rage when Remus came bustling in and stopped me. I thought that Remus was helping you, that he was as bad as you were, how wrong I was. It was at this point that Hermione revealed that she knew of your condition. She really catches on quick that one.' Harry mused this part out loud and took a moment to consider before continuing. 'You explained to me that you only knew where we were because you had the map which you had confiscated from me earlier. And then you told me of some devastating news, that Peter Pettigrew, a wizard you thought dead, and killed by Sirius no less, was in that very room. Of course we didn't believe you, there was no other person in the room, but you were quite adamant. Sirius twigged first; Ron's rat had lived far longer than any rat should. He took Ron's rat from him, giving Ron a nasty fright as you did so. You told me of how it was Peter that had betrayed my parents to Voldemort, Peter that had been the secret keeper, Peter that had killed those 12 muggles and let Sirius spend 12 years in Azkaban for a crime he was innocent of.' At this revelation everyone in the room was fuming, including Harry, but he shook his head and continued 'you both wanted to kill him then and there, but I stopped you, I knew it wasn't what Dad would do, instead we agreed to give him to the dementor's, to face the justice he deserved so much'. He stopped, finally allowing everyone in the room to release all the anger they had been holding in. Everyone was on their feet, screaming, crying and breaking various objects from around the room, more than a couple were Peters. 'STOP' Harry screamed, amplifying his voice with his wand. They all turned to stare at him. He was as angry as the rest of them but in his time this had already happened, there was nothing left to do but feel angry and betrayed, but here, now, something could be done. 'For goodness sake this is ridiculous, he hasn't done anything yet!' They all scowled at him 'In my time yes, he did some terrible things, but here, now, he is just Peter, the boy on the edge. Maybe instead of being angry at something he is yet to do you could prevent it.' They all thought about this for a moment, Harry actually made a lot of sense. Peter had done these things to Harry, but he hadn't yet betrayed his friends. 'Don't get me wrong,' Harry continued 'I hate the guy, but turning your back on him will just force him into Voldemort's clutches faster.' They all sighed, he was right.

'How does a boy so young become wise way beyond his years?' Remus spoke aloud.

Harry chuckled 'Sounds like something the Remus I knew would say' The tension broke slightly and Harry continued the story.

He told of Snape's appearance and how Pettigrew got away. Of how the dementor's tried to perform the kiss and how Harry failed to produce a strong enough patronus. Of how when all hope was loss a mysterious silvery stag pranced along the water. Of waking up in the hospital wing as Sirius was finally being given the kiss, losing all hope at a better life. Then of Dumbledore and the time turner and how he and Hermione had managed to save Buckbeak, how he watched as the soul got pulled out of Sirius from across the water before finally stepping up and casting the patronus charm. He smiled widely and he told of the stag that galloped out of the end of the wand. James' smile couldn't have been wider at that, he ran over and picked his boy up, as if he was only 5 years old and spun him around. He had saved Sirius, and had found himself closer at that moment in his third year to the family he never knew.

As Harry finished the story of that year he couldn't help but smile. He found family that year, not the flesh and blood type but the kind that loves you no matter what. That family was currently surrounding him and he began to cry, but not sad tears, happy ones.

'I finally have my family all in one place' he said as they all joined in a hug so tight they struggled to breathe but no-one wanted to pull away. Eventually they did simultaneously. 'Thank you for telling me about Sirius before Harry' James whispered so only Harry could hear 'I guess you understand me pretty well considering' a gleam of sadness was in James' hazel eyes, but only for a second before it disappeared.

'How about we have a break from the stories for a while' Harry announced 'Let grab some food then go have some fun' This was met with wide smiles, and a round of chuckles. Harry counted the days, just 3 days until the best Christmas of his life. He followed his family out of the portrait hole, fully intending to make every second they had together count.

* * *

That afternoon was one of the happiest and most carefree that Harry could remember for a long time. They laughed as they had a snowball fight in the grounds, Harry and James vs Sirius and Remus, with Lily was the referee but she did join in a few times, throwing a few well aimed snowballs at Remus and Sirius. It was amazing to see how well Harry and James worked together considering they had only known each other for a couple of days, the seemed to know what the other was thinking and were able to communicate via simple glances. Lily mused at how similar they were, there really was no denying that Harry was James' son. They had the same build, same messy hair, same attitude except Harry seemed more cautious and more alert, this she thought, was because of what had happened. She knew that something was bothering Harry, he had the air of someone who had had a great weight lifted off of their shoulders but at great cost. Lily didn't know how she knew all this but she did, suppose its mothers intuition. She watched as Harry laughed, he was letting out the child he had never gotten the chance to be, if the first 13 years of his life were any indication of what was to come in the next four years, and she couldn't help but smile even as a tear escaped her eyes.

After they were thoroughly worn out and cold they headed back up to the castle, in search of some food. They found themselves in the Great Hall during Dinner, they ignored the looks that the few people who had stayed in Hogwarts were giving them, explaining that Harry was James' cousin when someone asked. Harry saw Snape from the other side of the room glaring as they entered the room and he gave him his warmest smile, Snape's head snapped back to the food he was eating, but Harry thought he saw the edges of his mouth twitch almost imperceptibly. As the five of them ate they laughed and joked, Harry slotting in perfectly to the group.

Sleep came easy to everyone that night.

* * *

**A/N Gasp! Note at the end! I just wanted to thank every single one of you awesome people for reading this! it means the absolute world to me! Just letting you know that this story isn't going to just be about him telling them about his life, I just thought that if I was in his position that would be the first thing I would want to do. Anyway THANK YOU! I hope you enjoyed it.**


	7. Death

Harry slept later than he had intended, cursing himself as he felt around for his glasses. He only had two weeks with his parents and he was wasting them sleeping! He blinked and looked around the room, none of the boys were in bed although he could hear the sound of running water and toneless singing. Harry chuckled and got out of bed, pulling on some clothes before heading downstairs to the common room where he found Lily and James locked in a passionate embrace. 'Erg Mum! Dad!' he complained but couldn't keep the smile from his face. They jumped apart and looked down sheepishly, mumbling apologies. Harry heard a chuckling before he felt a comforting hand on his shoulder 'You get used to it' Sirius chuckled again. Harry didn't really mind if he was honest, sure it was a little weird but it was nice to see his parents so in love and considering only 1 month into their relationship they discover that they had a son together in the future and everything else that they had discovered they were still going strong. He just hoped that when they learnt of the next few years of his life they would remain as strong, he strongly suspected they would.

Remus entered the portrait hole carrying a large bag. 'Breakfast!' He exclaimed setting the bag down on the floor in front of their usual spot. Waving his wand, the bag emptied its contents to reveal a feast of a breakfast. 'Story time!' Sirius said as he loaded his plate with food. Harry sighed, he wanted to tell them everything but the next few years were when he had lost everyone, it had all started this year, and he hated it. He knew he wanted to get through it, no matter how difficult it would be, it was all sprinkled with happiness.

* * *

And so he began his story. He told them of his trip to the Quidditch World Cup final, recounting the match in as much detail as he could remember for James and Sirius' benefit. Then he told them of the attack, of how the dark mark was seen in the sky. Everyone shivered, far too aware of what that foreboding symbol meant. He continued his account of the year, telling how the Tri-Wizard Tournament had arrived at Hogwarts along with students from Durmstrang and Beauxbatons. Chuckling softly as he told of Fred and Georges attempts at getting their names in the Goblet. He tells them about the new DADA teacher Mad-eye Moody. He even tells them of the broom Sirius sent him, his Firebolt, the broom he loves so much. Harry rushes upstairs and finds the specifications and eagerly hands it over to his father as him and Sirius eagerly read it, gasping at certain details, after memorizing every detail James hands it back to Harry 'Keep it, it's not like I need it for anything' His Dads smile widens until the grin takes over his whole face.

Finally he tells them of the day the Goblet chooses the champion. 'So, after Cedric, Fleur and Krum were chosen and they were being lead away by McGonagall the Goblet roared with bright flames once again and produced the name of a fourth champion, me.' Lily's mouth dropped open before she regained her composure 'People have been _killed_ in the competition' she exclaimed and Harry recoiled slightly at the word killed. 'Mum, I am sorry but you are really going have to get used to the fact that there are a lot of times I could have been killed' and once when I actually was he thought 'but I'm still here, all in one piece and it all turns out right in the end' she nodded, this boy, her boy, had been put in harm's way more often than he should ever have to, and she hated it.

He continued, telling them of how Ron had stopped talking to him, 'He thought I had somehow figured out how to put my name in the Goblet, everyone did! No one seemed to understand that I never wanted the attention, being famous Harry bloody Potter, the boy who fucking lived, is not as great as everyone thinks it is' Harry didn't know where that outburst had come from but he felt foolish after it and his cheeks went red. The others looked around awkwardly, they had no idea what it must be like for him, he was famous for an even that had happened when he was one and could barely remember it.

Harry pulled himself out of this little rut, he was with his parents and he was enjoying himself, he wasn't going to let something that had happened over 3 years ago change that. He ploughed on, telling of how Hagrid had managed to show him the dragons that would be used for the first task. Lily whimpered quietly when he mentioned dragons. 'And then the day of the first task was upon me and I still had no idea how on Earth I was going to beat a dragon, a fact which Hermione didn't fail to reprimand me on every couple of minutes'  
'Thank you Hermione, ever the word of reason' Lily muttered  
'We each picked a dragon we would have to face, I had the Hungarian Horntail and was the last to enter the arena' He accounted his fight with the dragon, how he summoned his broom and used his main skill as a flier to win.

'Me and Ron were back to normal after that, he realised how ridiculously dangerous it is and thought that only a nutter would volunteer for that. Couple of weeks later McGonagall landed us with the bomb shell of the Yule Ball, meaning we would have to dance, and ask girls and other truly atrocious things' he shuddered at the memory, it really was cringey. 'Anyway I ended up asking this girl Cho that I had a crush, she had a date though, Cedric. Anyway it got to like three days before the ball and me and Ron still hadn't found dates. In that time Ron had managed to insult Hermione by assuming she didn't have a date, she did and refused to talk to him. We ended up going with the Patil twins, who were perfectly lovely, we just weren't particularly bothered by the whole thing. And during this time no-one had though to mention to me that the champions had the first dance so I kinda freaked out and Parvati had to lead and remind me what was going on. Ron almost fainted when he saw Mione and her date, Viktor Krum.'

Harry told of the rest of the dance and the events leading up to the second task. Finally he reached the day. 'I hadn't seem Ron and Hermione since the evening before hand when they had gone with McGonagall and I was getting nervous, how on Earth was I going to survive an hour underwater! But good old Neville was once again there to save the day, he seems to have a knack for that' he smiled.  
'Just like his mother' Lily commented, knowing that was a trait shared with her best friend. Harry grimaced as he thought of Frank and Alice in St Mungos, completely unaware of everything and everyone. He tried not to let it show in his face, this was the year he found out a little more about Frank and Alice, he would tell her the whole story when the time came.

'Anyway, Neville being the whizz with Herbology that he is suggested Gillyweed, it was literally 10 minutes before the first task and Neville stepped up and saved the day!' Harry was beaming as he thought of Neville, there really was never a truer Gryffindor, Harry couldn't help but think that thigs could be different, that his and Neville's roles could be reversed if Voldemort had chosen Neville instead of Harry.

Harry recounted that task and how he had waited, to make sure that all of the people were saved, and how he had to fight of the mer-people to save both Ron and Fleur's sister. James swelled with pride, 'My boy, always putting others first!' He beamed. He continued with his tale, finding it harder and harder to progress through the story until he reached the time in Dumbledore with the pensive. 'I saw a few Wizengamot trials, but there was one that stood out to me, there were four death eaters on trial, Bellatrix Lestrange,' Harry saw Sirius wince at her name, it hurt Harry even more, she took Sirius away from him 'Barty Crouch Jr and two others that I didn't recognise . They were on trial for the use of the Cruciatus Curse agains Frank and Alice Longbottom for information.' Lily gasped, tears forming in her eyes 'Poor Alice! And Frank!'  
'It gets worse' Harry practically whispered, taking his mothers hand, 'They were tortured to the point of insanity' The tears were flowing freely from Lily's eyes, and Harry was fighting a losing battle with his own glazed eyes. They sat in silence for a couple for minutes, Harry and Lily holding hands so tight that they were cutting of circulation, the only sound were Lily and Harry's soft snuffles.

It took a few minutes for Harry to get himself under control, poor Neville, he deserved an opportunity like this, he had barely known his parents either, sure he got to see them but he didn't get to know them. 'Mum? Is there any chance we could tell Alice and Frank about Neville, maybe get them to write him a letter or something? I just think he needs this as much as I do, maybe even more, he really is miraculous you know!' Lily nodded slowly, Neville never seemed too believe he was meant for Gryffindor, but from what she had heard about him so far he had more Gryffindor courage than some she knew.

They continued with the story, the lead up to the final task and the battle through the maze until they reached the graveyard.

'Pettigrew,' everyone collectively winced at the name 'was ordered by someone to kill Cedric' Harry said bluntly, this was the beginning of what was to be way too many deaths, deaths that occurred because of his own blood. 'I was then grabbed and tied to a tomb stone; soon Pettigrew was working through some sort of ritual, clearly being directed by this small voice wrapped in blankets. First he swept some dust out of a grave and added it to a cauldron, then he hut my arm and took some blood from my arm and added that too, and finally, at his masters orders, he sliced his hand off into the cauldron. Finally Pettigrew placed the creature in the cauldron' Harry shuddered at the memory 'and out rose Lord Voldemort, reformed.' The entire room gasped, and then remained eerily quiet.

He told of how he had summoned the other Death Eaters and gotten angry over the fact that no-one had come to find him and restored Pettigrew's hand. 'He started showing off, how that, now my blood was inside him, he could touch me.' He told of how he was ordered to bow before Voldemort but he refused to and was put under the Imperius Curse, but he managed to shake it off. He told of the duel and how the spirits of Voldemort's victims spill out of his wand, how simply seeing his mother and father gave him strength and as they give him a moment to escape back to the safety of Hogwarts, to the celebrations of the spectators and then the cries. Tears began to fall freely as he continued the story till the end of the school year.

The tears were still flowing freely, these tears weren't just for Cedric they were for everyone, for what the death of Cedric represented, the return of Voldemort, and the man who had utterly ruined Harry's life.

'Harry' Lily pulled Harry into a tight embrace, never wanting to let him go, wanting to be able to protect him from everything that had happened. Harry returned the hug, sobbing into his mothers shoulder, he needed this after all these years, and suddenly he doesn't have the strength to keep telling them year by year, he needs it all out in the open, the good and the bad. He needs to tell them it all, but he will do it tomorrow because right now he is knackered and is missing his friends back home. He politely excuses him and heads up to the dorms and doesn't hear their ensuing conversation.

* * *

'Did you see the look in his eyes when he told us about Cedric? That wasn't sadness just for one boy, there are more tragedies to come I fear.' Remus mused.

Lily nodded, 'And when he spoke of Voldemort, his eyes sparked, I don't believe this is the last time our son comes face to face with the monster.'

'So young, way too young. He isn't even eighteen and already has the wisdom of someone way beyond his years.' This was unusually serious for Sirius.

'And he is so damn selfless, during all this time he has never gotten angry over the hand life had dealt him. He only got angry earlier when he was getting all that attention, he really just wants a normal life doesn't he?' James understood his son somewhat, of course he had no idea what it was like with all the added problems but James understood not wanting the attention that was thrust upon him.

Silence descended on the group, as they thought of the boy who was snoring upstairs.

* * *

**A/N Not entirely happy with this but I don't think I ever will be completely happy with a chapter. I'm not a big fan of OotP and HBP so i will probably kind of skim across them, only really talking about the things i feel are important. I am however really looking forward to writing about the end of DH as I think the reactions will be really interesting to write. Thank you so much for your continued support. **


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